Process and apparatus for treating hydrocarbons



G. EGLOFF April 23, 1929.

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING HYDROCARBONS Original Filed Jan. 14 20 Patented Apr, 23, 1929,

STATES 1,110,152 PATENT OFFICE.

GUSTAV .EGLOFF, OF INDEPENDENCE, KANSAS, ASSIGNOR TO UNIVERSAL OIL PROD- UGTS COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING HYDROCABBONS.

Application filed January M, 1920,8erla1 No. 351,281. Renewed January 11, 1928.

This invention relates to improvements in process of treating hydrocarbons and refers more particularly to a process of converting relatively high boiling polnt hydroa carbons into those of lower boiling po nts.

Among the salient objects of the invention, are to provide a process in which the vapors are superheated to increase the cracking prior to their being sub ected to reflux 10 condensation so as to facilitate react ons of the process and limit, as far as is practical the extent of the dephlegmation or reflux condensation. Tt is well known that in cracking processes now in commercialnse that very considerable reflux condensation takes place with consequent loss of heat units during the cracking of oil. The present invention reduces this reflux condensatlon to a very considerable extent.

Tn order to more clearly understand the invention, T have shown the accompanying drawing in which the single figure is a some-- what diagrammatic plan view With parts in section of a novel form of apparatus useful for carrying out the process.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the furnace in which is mounted a shell still 2. This still 2 is provided with usualmanholes 3 and l, liquid residue draw-oil 5 controlled by throttle valve 6. The vapors pass out through goose-neck or vapor line 7 into a header 8. This header 8 1s connected to a second header 9 by means of a'plurality of relatively small tubes 10 which lie in the oil in the bottom of the lower part of the still. The arrangement is such that these tubes can be readily cleaned or replaced when desired. The header 9 is connected by pipe or conduit 11 to a dephlegmator 12. The heavier vapors which condense in the dephlegmator are returned by the reflux line 13 into the still at a point below the liquid level of the latter as shown 1d. The vapors which do not condense in the dephlegmator pass by line 15 to water condenser 16 which is in turn connected by pipe 1? to receiver 18. -The latter is provided with liquid draw on? 1% controlled by valve 2 and gas outlet 21 controlled by valve 22. if desired, a throttle valve 23 may be interposed the upper end of the dephlegmator' 12. A valve 24lmay be interposed in line Y? and valve 25 in. line 13. The process carried out by distilling sin er uniform pressure of say 1% with an oil temperature in the still of 7 F. The temperature in the lower end of the still, of course, will be hotter than the upper end. If desired, a differential pressure may be maintained on the apparatus by suitably regulating the valves. Passing the vapors through the pipe 10 will of course superheat them and tend to increase the cracking of the constituents thereof. Accordingly less reflux condensation. of the insufiiciently cracked heavier vapors will be required. As far as T know in addition to the process being novel, the apparatus herein described is also novel.

T claim as my invention:

1. A process of converting relatively high boilin point hydrocarbons into those of lower oiling point, consisting in heating the oil in the still under vapor pressure, taking in relatively small separated streams through the lower portion of the still out of contact with the main body of oil in the still, subjecting the superheated vapors to a reflux condensmg action and returning such retlljux condensate to the body of oil in the sti 2. A process of converting relatively high boiling point hydrocarbons into those of lower boiling point, consisting in heatin the oil in the still under vapor pressure, ta ring oil vapors therefrom, passing such vapors through the lower portion of the still out of contact with the main body of oil in the still, subjecting the superheated vapors to a reflux condensing action and returning such retillux condensate to the body of oil in the su 3. The process of converting relatively high boiling point hydrocarbons into those of lower boiling point, comprising introducing oil to a still, in subjecting the same to heat while in the still and under vapor presoff vapors, therefrom, passing such vapors sure, in removing vapors therefrom, and

through a reflux condenser, in returning the reflux condensate to the still, and in discharging vapors f om the reflux condenser to condenser for condensation collectl. An apparatus cracking hens, comprising a furnace, a still mounted vapors after passage through said pipes, a "therein, a vapor line reading from the still, reflux condenser into which said vapors are a plurality of small horizontal pipes passintroduced, means for discharging the va- 10 ing through the lower portion of the still, pors from the reflux condenser, and means means for discharging vapors from the vafor discharging the reflux condensate into 1001' hne into said pipes to pass through the the still.

still, means for eoileeting the superheated GUSTAV EGLGFF. 

